among the Romans, were officers established by Romulus, who always attended the chief magistrates when they appeared in public.

The duty of their office consisted in the three following particulars: 1. Submissio, or clearing the way for the magistrate they attended: this they did by word of mouth; or, if there was occasion, by using the rods they always carried along with them. 2. Animadversio, or causing the people to pay the usual respect to the magistrate, as to alight, if on horseback, or in a chariot; to rise up, uncover, make way, and the like. 3. Praecitio, or walking before the magistrates: this they did not confusedly, altogether, nor by two or three abreast, but singly, following one another in a straight line. They also preceded the triumphal car in public triumphs; and it was also part of their office to arrest criminals, and to be public executioners in beheading, &c. Their ensigns were the FASCES and SECURIS.

As to the number of lictors allowed each magistrate, a dictator had twenty-four, a master of the horse six, a consul twelve, a pretor five; and each vestal virgin, when she appeared abroad, had one.